"Peripheral vision" vs. tunnel vision: It appears I have sinned against the dialectic.

Your ideological purity is commendable. Reminds me of some communists and the dialectic I once knew. I suppose I could have taken that position, but then no one would have heard about Gunwalker then, would they?

We all come to the Road to Damascus by different ways. Condemning people you do not know because they are not as far down that road, or entered by a different byway is, well, there's a word for it.

I stand by every word I wrote about Dodson, and all the ones I will write when I am able to say more.

Just remember that Dodson has struck a mightier blow against the domestic enemies of the Constitution than you or I, or anybody else has in decades.

Despise him if you will. Suspect him if you will. You still cannot take that away from him.

But, by all means, as is your right you may spit on his boots as he strides by you, cowering in the ditch, taking the fight to our common enemy. There's a word for that too.

29 comments:

This is what I had to say about Dodson in a comment at TLinExile. -----------------------------------I noticed something in the "Gun-Walker" story I don't remember if it was the CBS article or what but there was a escalation of violence south of the border after the ATF started their stupid Gun-Runner Project, So Dodson has a reason to feel VERY GUILTY. Guilty as an Accessory to Murder.The Murder of hundreds or thousands yet to come.----------------------------------- Perhaps the Families of these future victims will never know of Dodson part in the death of one of their Loved Ones.

I've read all of your posts on Gunrunner and all of the posts urging caution against overly praising the man speaking out.

I saw one post on a different blog that basically said, 'so what, you still are a traitor', but that person almost always takes an opposing view point, so he marginalizes himself in the discussion.

From what I read, I don't think anyone's 'spitting on his boots' or 'hiding in a ditch' while Agent Dodson does the heavy lifting against 'the enemies of the Constitution'. Being in the right place at the right time comes into play here, and SA Dodson is there and has acted, and for that, I know I'm appreciative.

That said, I believe the only thing being expressed by those who don't necessarily agree with you that this guy deserves all the superlatives you given him is for all of us to remember that no matter what, he still belongs to an agency that 'did' Olofson, Weaver, and countless others unconstitutionally, and in many cases, extra-legally. Even you've said, "When you take the King's shilling, you're still the King's man."

It's natural to be suspect, that's all.

Maybe this guy is an "oathkeeper". I sure hope so. Maybe his move is about expedience and motivated out of pure hatred for Melson, et al.

Only he knows, really.

The important thing is that ATF is taken DOWN, because it's unlawful (meaning unconstitutional). Maybe Dodson's actions will be what starts the tree falling.

I believe it's doing a disservice to those who every day do little things to keep the fire of Liberty buring as well as those who applaud and support your work as well as to the actions of this agent to imply cowardice from the ditch, so to speak, against others who have honest reservations as to the motivation of the man.

So, it's your call, but taking people to task for acting snake bit around someone who is an active member of the 'rattlesnake club' doesn't do anyone any good.

I don't do this to be popular. I do this to win, consistent with my principles. You people yearn for oath keepers and spit on the first real one that passes by? That's like saying a former drug war prosecutor who has changed coats to the Rebellion is still guilty of his constitutional defalcations and thus should be considered suspect. Is that what you're saying?

And yes, Pat H, I'm quite familiar with your bloody-minded opinions. And if you had all those ATF agents, every one, in front of you in one vast ditch, would you shoot them all yourself, one at a time? Not knowing who they are or what side they are really on? Would you? Really? Or do you just play a Jacobin guillotine operator with your keyboard on the Internet?

"Although what Dodson did by coming forward is comendable, I will NOT accept him into 'My Circle of Patriots'"

Dennis,

We each, it seems, have our own definition of "patriot." Dodson meets mine. We differ, I am certain, on many things, Dodson and me. Who we serve, I think, is not one of them. Of course, I could be wrong. But I AM GOING TO FIGHT THIS FIGHT WITH EVERY TOOL AND EVERY ALLY AVAILABLE WHETHER MY ERSTWHILE FRIENDS SEE THE WISDOM OR NECESSITY OF IT OR NOT.

First of all, who said you're doing this to be popular? Secondly, who challenged your principles?

I believe the only thing that's happened is some folks are telling you to lighten up on the move to sainthood for an ATF agent.

And then you keep categorizing honest anxiety about the motivation of someone heretofore silent on unconstitutional and unlawful actions agsint the citizenry as e 'spitting on the first [oathkepper] that passes by'.

You of all people, should understand why people are not ready to unconditionally accept the actions of this admittedly brave agent as selflessly patriotic. Nobody knows his true motivations save he.

It appears that you are taking disagreement with your perspective personally and that everyone who disagrees with you is hopelessly lost in 'group think' and is just as bad in their thought process as the Marxist/Lenninists.

Just from what I've read about the misgivings of your readership (and others on other blogs linked to you) this is not about you.

This is about the very honest misgivings of the III community to an agency that is an avowed enemy of anyone who disagrees with their stated mission of limiting the exercise of the 2A and, to quote Codrea, prime examples of "the only ones".

So, if you want to categorized that as "suspect", I guess the answer is yes. This is truly a 'wait and see' situation. He's not truly 'vetted' yet from a III perspective, now, is he?

You've got a lot of support out here in the hinterlands; insulting those folks because they don't necessarily see things like you do (admittedly having much less information that you do) is not effective at builing the movement.

I think Mike's position and judgement are certainly reasonable, and in the long run, wise. If, in overturning the current status, we engage in an all encompassing bloodbath, that knows no reason and learned judgement, we will wind up with the loss of some very good people. Yes, some have sinned horribly. He without sin should cast the first stone. Remember, all of us have failed in life, miserably. What you are is what you do after you get up and walk away from that. Any outfit devoid of mercy belongs in the ranks of the SS. I too, want vengence. With reason. And if we hack everyone who wants to change their ways and come on over for the big win, who will come after they see the reception?

As a health care professional, the one thing that I'm pretty sure of is that after six hours of pumping in deadly levels of an anesthesia liquid, used as a carrier for the chemical warfare agent used against the Branch Davidians, all of the children were likely already dead before the rest were burned to death.

A stockbroker is hired at a corrupt firm, he goes along with it for a while, but he eventually ends up taking the company down because such wrongs cannot be allowed to continue. Righteousness must prevail even if only to appease his own personal guilt. Politician, police officer, teacher, rank-and-file employee; this story line has been repeated thousands of times before. Such characters were at the heart of cases involving Erin Brockovich and Karen Silkwood. The theme makes for some very popular movies as well, such as "The Firm" and "Boiler Room".

Virtually ALL whistle blowers could be accused of being complicit with the wrongdoing they tried to stop, yet they came forward because they no longer agree with such tactics. We usually praise them for coming forward with the truth, seeking what is right rather than continue in what is wrong.

Why do we now treat Dodson differently? Like him or not, respect him or not, he seeks to right a wrong and deserves our support.

Unless he personally pumped the gas into the Davidian compound he cant be held accountable for that sin.Give the guy a chance to bear his soul. We need to know what he did in the past with the agency before we through him under a bus.

There was a man some 2000 years ago who was reported to have held the coats of a bunch of other men who stoned to death a young follower of Jesus. That man encouraged that homicide and spent a considerable amount of time persecuting members of the early church.

Saul of Tarsus, an original whistle blower, became Paul the Apostle and arguably the chief proponent of Christianity. Without him, Christianity very well might not exist today.

I'm not equating John Dodson with St. Paul, but there are definitely some parallels there.

If we do not support Dodson, why should or would any more come forward? A bunch of Agenda driven Psycopaths are in charge of the ATF. If we throw men who want to do the right thing and change the organization under the bus we are cutting off our noses to spite our faces. We do not live in a perfect world and this fight is to the death between two opposing philosophies.We need to keep our reservations to ourselves and hammer our Federal Senators to hold hearings,and to protect those willing to come forward. We can get to the bottom of the motives issue later.

"And yes, Pat H, I'm quite familiar with your bloody-minded opinions. And if you had all those ATF agents, every one, in front of you in one vast ditch, would you shoot them all yourself, one at a time? Not knowing who they are or what side they are really on? Would you? Really? Or do you just play a Jacobin guillotine operator with your keyboard on the Internet?"

Not just ATF, but all cops (and all military?) will be killed, if the great patriot Kerodin gets his way (and unfortunately, he is not alone).

Now there's a winning strategy - announce, in advance, to all those in police an military service who otherwise may have gone over to the resistance that they shouldn't bother, because if the resistance wins, they will surely be executed for the crime of wearing a uniform, whatever they may have done to help the resistance.

What a brilliant military strategy! Rather than divide your enemy's forces against your enemy, make them all PERSONALLY fear your victory and convince them that their only hope (and likely their family's too) is to crush you completely, in detail.

Mike, I see lots of the same anarchist drivel here in your comments and over at WRSA - declarations that ALL in government service, at every level, are guilty and should lose their head or get a bullet.

As Mark Matis points out - if NO patriot would work within such an agency, then we would have a completely closed system, meaning NO whistleblowers, NO revelation of scandals, NO moles and NO sources of intel at all from certain quarters. If such were the case, our only source of intel would be to read the pretty, shiny pamphlets provided for us by our government masters.Personally, I would much prefer a whistleblower, or anyone who develops a conscience, inside of any federal leviathan. They are the chinks in the armor of corruption, and without them our cause would suffer all the more.JMHO.

At Nuremburg, the victorious Allies didn't conduct mass executions of all German soldiers, who were obviously part of the Nazi machine. Those who committed true war crimes were the only ones who had to fear the noose.

And as the Allies swept into Germany those average German soldiers were reasonably certain that if they surrendered the Allies would treat them well and eventually return them to their families, who would also be free from reprisals.

That is a recipe for victory and maximizing desertion, surrender, and people switching sides.

Pronouncements of intent to kill all in government service are a recipe for having those in uniform fight to the last man, and never desert, change sides, or surrender.

"spit on his boots as he strides by you, cowering in the ditch"or on your knees licking his boots. Is there nothing between? I'm glad he has spoken. Maybe welcome him while having questions for later about motive and agenda. Do you really think he would hesitate, or would have, to kill you and your family, or send you to prison, because he was following orders, oath be damned?

I'm in Mike's camp--forgive those who repent. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't still be wary. Neither should we still "let them in" to a full extent. I'm finding myself more and more at odds with those of you who have no mercy. A house divided against itself cannot stand. God himself said that vengence is HIS, not ours.

I agree with MALTHUS for the most part. It appears that Dodson fought against this gunwalking strategy from the beginning, within the ATF, and finally in the media. While I am all for "forgiveness," I'm not sure that Dodson would be so grateful to you kind souls that deem he needs your "forgiveness." Try to see this from another point of view.

I respect soldiers because they put their lives where their mouth is, unlike so many commentators here, whether they be right or they be wrong.

It is my opinion that it is wrong to be in the ATF, or even the US military at this point in our history (even though I was in it for four years in my youth), but I understand that many think they are serving their country, even as I did 33 years ago.

Now I see that service as supporting Leviathan. But that in no way diminishes the respect I have for those that have the heart and guts to put their life on the line for what they believe.

Dodson was and is a true believer and his actions prove that he was a patriot all along, from the beginning. Now I don't know the man, but his actions speak VERY LOUDLY to those that are listening.

Perhaps Dennis308 would not accept me in his circle of "Patriots" since I served in the US military, which is also an arm of Leviathan. Perhaps he wouldn't think I'm Texan enough either, though my family has historical markers all over this state for their contributions to the establishment of the Republic of which I am a forth generation and my children fifth generation "Texicans," and damn proud of it. Perhaps Mike isn't enough of a "Patriot" to be part of his exclusive circle since his son also serves in the military and Mike is an admitted former Commie!

So before you condemn, and before you so mightily "forgive," examine your own hearts and ask yourself in the privacy of your own mind without your keyboard bravado, "Am I willing to put my life where my mouth is, and what have I done in the past that substantiates that answer?"

Warrior Class; would I Stand With You? Yes. Because I call myself Texan instead of Texican is Not reason for you to take offence. In THIS PART of Texas, Texican can be and is offencive to some people.

Military service was something I did not do because I didn't feel the need to(to young for Vietnam to old for Afghanistan)although my Son Dennis Jr.lost his knee while in training with the USAF and I am PROUD of his Service. Being in a Alphabet Agency is not the same as Military Service and damn sure not to be compared to ATF.

I live on the border and will be affected by this Gun Walker B/S for years to come so I take all this Personally. We have enough B/S with out our own Government supplying Guns to the Cartels thank you very much.

I have put my life on the here on the "Frontera" and with(good guys) and against(bad guys)LEO's.

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Advice on child rearing from my son.

Everyone should grow up with simulated equipment from a heavy weapons platoon. It gives you a more well rounded education and an appreciation for the finer things in life. -- Sergeant Matthew Vanderboegh, United States Army.

"Progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress."

I believe that liberty is the only genuinely valuable thing that men have invented, at least in the field of government, in a thousand years. I believe that it is better to be free than to be not free, even when the former is dangerous and the latter safe. I believe that the finest qualities of man can flourish only in free air – that progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress, and of no permanent value. I believe that any man who takes the liberty of another into his keeping is bound to become a tyrant, and that any man who yields up his liberty, in however slight the measure, is bound to become a slave. -- H.L. Mencken

On the efficacy of passive resistance in the face of the collectivist beast. . .

Had the Japanese got as far as India, Gandhi's theories of "passive resistance" would have floated down the Ganges River with his bayoneted, beheaded carcass. -- Mike Vanderboegh.

In the future . . .

When the histories are written, “National Rifle Association” will be cross-referenced with “Judenrat.” -- Mike Vanderboegh to Sebastian at "Snowflakes in Hell"

"Smash the bloody mirror."

If you find yourself through the looking glass, where the verities of the world you knew and loved no longer apply, there is only one thing to do. Knock the Red Queen on her ass, turn around, and smash the bloody mirror. -- Mike Vanderboegh

From Kurt Hoffman over at Armed and Safe.

"I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

From long experience myself, I can only say, "You betcha."

"Only cowards dare cringe."

The fears of man are many. He fears the shadow of death and the closed doors of the future. He is afraid for his friends and for his sons and of the specter of tomorrow. All his life's journey he walks in the lonely corridors of his controlled fears, if he is a man. For only fools will strut, and only cowards dare cringe. -- James Warner Bellah, "Spanish Man's Grave" in Reveille, Curtis Publishing, 1947.

"We fight an enemy that never sleeps."

"As our enemies work bit by bit to deconstruct, we must work bit by bit to REconstruct. Be mindful where we should be. Set goals. We fight an enemy that never sleeps. We must learn to sleep less." -- Mike H. at What McAuliffe Said

"The Fate of Unborn Millions. . ."

"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their Houses, and Farms, are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a State of Wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably deliver them. The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army-Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission; that is all we can expect-We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die." -- George Washington to his troops before the Battle of Long Island.

"We will not go gently . . ."

This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can't be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won't be done. The Founders' Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.

But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.

And when we are gone, the scattered, free survivors hiding in the ruins of our once-great republic will sing of our deeds in forbidden songs, tending the flickering flame of individual liberty until it bursts forth again, as it must, generations later. We will live forever, like the Spartans at Thermopylae, in sacred memory.

-- Mike Vanderboegh, The Lessons of Mumbai:Death Cults, the "Socialism of Imbeciles" and Refusing to Submit, 1 December 2008

"A common language of resistance . . ."

"Colonial rebellions throughout the modern world have been acts of shared political imagination. Unless unhappy people develop the capacity to trust other unhappy people, protest remains a local affair easily silenced by traditional authority. Usually, however, a moment arrives when large numbers of men and women realize for the first time that they enjoy the support of strangers, ordinary people much like themselves who happen to live in distant places and whom under normal circumstances they would never meet. It is an intoxicating discovery. A common language of resistance suddenly opens to those who are most vulnerable to painful retribution the possibility of creating a new community. As the conviction of solidarity grows, parochial issues and aspirations merge imperceptibly with a compelling national agenda which only a short time before may have been the dream of only a few. For many Americans colonists this moment occurred late in the spring of 1774." -- T.H. Breen, The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence, Oxford University Press, 2004, p.1.